Hardware Podcasts

Episode 159: Robot sensing and manipulation - Maria Koskinopoulou

Robot Talk · 5 Jun 2026 · 34m · Episode 159

What this episode covers

Maria Koskinopoulou, an Assistant Professor at Heriot-Watt University and co-leader of the ARM²Lab, discusses integrating perception and manipulation in robotics for medical and sustainability applications. She details autonomous needle-based procedures that use real-time ultrasound and haptic feedback to assist surgeons, and robotic systems for sorting waste and disassembling electronics like hard drives and batteries. Koskinopoulou explains how these systems handle unstructured environments by combining computer vision with adaptive grasping strategies, such as vacuum suction, to manage overlapping and deformable objects.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Heriot-Watt University
Also
ARM²Lab, National Robotarium, UKRI, EU

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